Talks Useless Until Pakistan Changes Attitude: Ex RAW Chief

New Delhi: Lauding the surgical strike conducted by the Indian Army across the Line of Control (LoC) in the intervening nights of September 28-29, former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief Vikram Sood on Monday said talks are of no use until Pakistan changes its attitude.

Sood said that the surgical strike by India was an attitude which was new and aggressive. “If we ask Pakistan to talk, then Pathankot, Gurdaspur and Uri takes place. They don’t want a solution to the Kashmir issue. Unless and until they get hurt, it won’t affect them and their attitude won’t change. Trans-border operations take place. Recently it took place in Nagaland as well,” he said.

Dubbing the surgical strike as a ‘covert operation’, Sood said it was a message to Pakistan that India is capable enough to do it and it has the political will.

“I think they were surprised (with the surgical strike). If they accept it they have to do something. I think it would be better for them if they deny it. Pakistan is a big nation and you can’t isolate it. Unless Pakistan mends its ways, India should not hold talks. UN speech and other moves are a basket and happened on right time,” he added.

When you have said blood and water won’t flow in the same direction then how will talks take place? The message to Pakistan should be if you change your attitude and give evidence then only talks can take place. I want evidence whether they have locked up Lakhvi and closed the terrorist camps,” he said.

The ex-RAW chief’s reaction comes in the wake of the Baramulla attack in Jammu and Kashmir which took place late last night and claimed the life of a Border Security Force (BSF) soldier.

Inspector General BSF, Punjab Frontier Anil Paliwal earlier today said that an alert has been sounded on the border in the wake of the Baramulla attack and the following ceasefire violation in Poonch, assuring that the situation is under control.

Meanwhile, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the current situation at the Line of Control (LoC). Doval also reportedly briefed the Prime Minister about the preparedness of the security forces and the army troops.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju has assured that Indian security forces are capable of dealing with the situation, while Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that he had faith in the army to give a befitting reply.

Also, Pakistan violated ceasefire in Shahpur along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir today. Heavy mortar shelling and firing was reported from the Pakistani side in Poonch.

Earlier, Pakistan targeted Indian posts along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Akhnoor tehsil late Sunday evening. Pakistan has stepped up cross-border firing after the Indian Army conducted surgical strikes on terror launch pads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).